March 14, 2010
Morning Service

St.Jn. 17:1-5

 

Review:

1.       John closed chapter 16 by saying; Joh 16:33 KJVR  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

2.      Jesus had been telling His disciples that He was going back to the Father, and that He would send them a Comforter, the Holy Ghost. 

3.      Jesus told them that now they would rely on asking God the Father for all the answers to life.  Jesus told them that the Father loved them, because they had believed in Him.

 

Jesus has encouraged them to remain in His teachings that they might the peace, and joy, that comes with being His faithful follower.

 

In chapter 17 we will see Jesus praying for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers.  In chapter 18 Jesus will be taken by the soldiers.

 

Joh 17:1-5 KJVR  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 

• The master teacher is teaching us the importance of praying for ourselves.  In order to help someone else you must be in a stable position yourself.
• People have got to see that what you are telling them really works.  You have got to be sold out to God.  You have got to be living in this realm of peace, and joy, that Jesus is telling His disciples about.
• Jesus knows what is about to happen to Him.  He knows He is going to the cross.
• There are many things that we need to pray for;  Just as Jesus prayed for Himself, we should pray for ourselves.  Asking for the things that will glorify the Father.  Mainly the attributes of the Spirit of God.
• The Apostle Paul teaches us to put certain things on in our lives, and certain things off in our lives.  The only way to do this is to pray earnestly, and sincerely to our Heavenly Father.  Listen to him. 

Col 3:1-16 KJVR  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  (2)  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  (3)  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  (4)  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  (5)  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; ( pray these things out of your life ) fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  (6)  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:  (7)  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  (8)  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  (9)  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  (10)  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  (11)  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.  (12)  Put on therefore, ( or pray these things into your life ) as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  (13)  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  (14)  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  (15)  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  (16)  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.    We need to pray for ourselves concerning these matters.  It’s not my brother or my sister, but it’s me o Lord standing in the need of prayer.

 

• Jesus said one time;  Mat 7:1-11 KJVR  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  (2)  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 

1. We need to pray that we be not judgmental.  We are not the judge, and we need to pray that this spirit does not abide in us.

(3)  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  (4)  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  (5)  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 

2. We need to pray that we will not look at others, and judge them for their faults, for Jesus says you have faults yourself, and you need to take care of them first before trying to help someone else.
3. When we judge like that Jesus calls us hypocrites.  Very harsh words.

(7)  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  (8)  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 

4. James said “you have not because you ask not.”  I’m talking about praying, asking God for the needs in your life.  Ask, seek, and knock.  The Scriptures teach us to be persistent in our prayers. 

 

Then the faith builder;

(9)  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  (10)  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?  (11)  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

5. 1Jo 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:   And this is what Jesus has just told His disciples that God will be there for them.  He is also here for us, just as He was for them.

Back to Jesus’ prayer;

Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: (2)  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 

(3)  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

• Power over all flesh!  There is nothing our God cannot do!  He is Almighty God Jehovah, and there is nothing that He will not grant us, if we learn to pray in His will.
• Jesus alone, through Him do we have eternal life.  Peter said, “there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved.”

(4)  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.  (5)  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

• This was His destiny.  To glorify the Father, by doing, and teaching all the things that the Father had given Him to do, and teach.
• Is this our goal this morning?  As we think to pray for ourselves we can make a difference.  We can have just as much of the Spirit of God that we are willing to pay the price for.
• Love not the world, nor the things in the world, for the love of the world is not of the Father.

 

Jesus had just finished teaching His disciples concerning His second coming, and He told them this:

Luk 21:36 KJVR  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

 

Father, give us the wisdom to pray for ourselves, and to ask for the things that will glorify you.  Amen.